First Ascent of Mount Rainier

In the summer of 1870, Hazard Stevens and P. B. Van Trump set out to accomplish what no one had yet done: reach the summit of Mount Rainier.

In this firsthand account, Stevens recounts their pioneering ascent of the massive Washington volcano, from the challenges of approaching the mountain to the difficult climb across glaciers, snowfields, and rugged terrain. With little knowledge of the route and none of the modern equipment available to today's mountaineers, the two climbers faced an uncertain and demanding journey toward the summit.

Stevens's account offers a fascinating glimpse into the earliest days of mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest. His vivid descriptions capture the hazards, scenery, exhaustion, and exhilaration of climbing one of North America's great peaks—and the determination required to stand where no climber had stood before.

A firsthand record of a landmark achievement, First Ascent of Mount Rainier preserves the story of one of the most important early climbs in American mountaineering.

Cover Photo by Mani Kant Sharma : Click here to view or download